Annette Benedetti, Author at The Source

Nest News: Fostering Young Minds & Local Talent

The Kid’s Entrepreneur Holiday Market

by Annette Benedetti November 13, 2024August 11, 2025

As the holiday season approaches, Bend is gearing up for a unique community event designed to showcase the creativity, ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of its youngest members. The Kid’s Entrepreneur Holiday Market, scheduled for Sunday, December 15 at the Elks Lodge, offers an environment where kids aged five to17 take charge of their own market […]

Culture

Bree Beal & BEAT Children’s Theater

Celebrating Two Decades of Empowering Young Artists

by Annette Benedetti August 29, 2024August 11, 2025

Bree Beal is officially the executive director of BEAT Children’s Theater in Bend, Oregon, but to the kids, she’s affectionately known as the “boss lady.” Her unwavering dedication has transformed BEAT into a beacon of creativity and empowerment. Beal’s journey to BEAT is a testament to her lifelong passion for children’s theater and her commitment […]

Health

Finding Balance

Navigating the feeding journey with breastfeeding, bottle feeding or both

by Annette Benedetti February 14, 2024August 11, 2025

A new parent’s journey is filled with decisions, one of the most significant being how to nurture and nourish their newborn. The age-old breastfeeding-versus-bottle feeding debate is a complex and emotional topic with advocates and skeptics on each side. Kathryn Jonas, an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant at Cascade Lactation, helps new moms navigate their baby-feeding questions […]

Education

Nurturing Every Learner

Understanding Individualized Education Programs in the Bend-La Pine School District

by Annette Benedetti November 8, 2023August 11, 2025

Every parent wants their child’s educational experience to be smooth sailing, but for some, it can be more challenging than for others. If your young student struggles with learning or has been diagnosed with a disability, getting an Individualized Education Program in place is one way to improve their school experience. Sean Reinhart, Executive Director […]

Bend Nest

Getting a Jump Start

Local high schools offer various career paths for students

by Annette Benedetti July 26, 2023August 11, 2025

These educational and career paths options include: Honors Classes: These classes are for those students whose skills, abilities and interests are exemplary. In general, honors classes progress more quickly, cover more material and go into more depth than standard classes. Advanced Placement: These rigorous courses are college-level offerings tied to national curricula, require special teacher […]

Bend Nest

Girl Wonder

Bend Swim Club’s Annika Huang

by Annette Benedetti April 27, 2023August 11, 2025

Central Oregon is known for producing Olympic-level athletes who excel in winter sports but rarely do water sports come to mind. This year, an 11-year-old girl from Bend is making a name for herself in the competitive swimming arena. One of the youngest swimmers to qualify for Bend Swim Center’s competitive Silver Squad, Annika Huang […]

Bend Nest

Learning Made Fun

Children’s Museum of Central Oregon prepares for brick-and-motar launch

by Annette Benedetti April 27, 2023August 11, 2025

Due to the Great Recession, Bend’s last brick-and-mortar children’s museum, Working Wonders, closed in 2009, leaving families of young children with few options for indoor, hands-on learning. Children’s Museum of Central Oregon, a nonprofit founded in 2015, is aiming to change that by raising enough money to build a learning center with STEAM-based exhibits, projected […]

Bend Nest

Time to Tidy!

by Annette Benedetti February 2, 2023August 11, 2025

Spring is on its way and that means it’s time to tidy your house before the summer’s madness and mayhem arrive. If you are dreading the task of clearing the closets and wiping the dirt from the walls, try reframing your mindset. Instead of looking at spring cleaning as an overwhelming chore, think of it […]

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